Abu Samah, Minah at the Great Wall of China

Recently, I visited those true Merdeka fighters in Southern Thailand again. I met, among other patriots and their friends, Pak Abu Samah (right) and his wife Makcik Siti Norkiah @ Minah (left) who was a top leader of the Angkatan Wanita Sedar (AWAS) in Pahang before the outbreak of the anti-colonial war in June, 1948.

Makcik Minah told me many stories about herself, her family and her anti-colonial armed struggle with the Communist Party of Malaya, which I recorded with video tapes and am writing them down for publication. Pak Abu Samah had already published his memoirs Sejarah Dan Perjuangan Kemerdekaan in Hong Kong as early as 1996. Its Chinese translation was published last year in Kuala Lumpur.

Makcik Minah told me, since they have no children, they would not mind budak Ipoh ini archiving a set of their treasured personal photographs in my computer system for future generations' references. One such highly valued picture (top) was taken when they visited the Great Wall of China in the 1990s.

Komunis Melayu warisan Bahaman
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/12781

Abu Samah - the ex-British child soldier
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/35027

History of the Malay Left
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/48827

Abu Samah's version of Merdeka history (in Chinese)
http://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/39779